31 August 2012

We are still celebrating Indie/Small- Press month and today we have a special guest on - M.R. Merrick. If you know of him, you probably know he is a little crazy and a whole lotta hilarious (which you will know for sure after reading below :) We are very pleased to have him on today.

Interview:

1. What has your writing process been like? Did you try to go the traditional route at first? What have been the most surprising things you've learned about publishing a novel?

My process has been all over the map. I’ve only written three books, and only two are published (the third isn’t due out until December 2012) so I’m trying a lot of different things with each book to find a groove that works best for me.Right now I like to write either a detailed outline, which gets the story solidified in my head, or a list of goals and accomplishments to be made clear in each book. This way, at a glance, I can see where I need to go. I have tried writing without an outline and the ‘just seeing what happens’ approach, and while it’s fun and doable; it makes the revisions process a lot heavier. At least that was my experience with it. I prefer to streamline things whenever possible.

I didn’t put much effort into going traditional. I did spend two years while writing my first novel researching the industry and I did start querying, but after about a dozen querys I found Amazon’s KDP program, which was a savior. I don’t have the patience to approach traditional publishing the way they want me to. Waiting 8 weeks in some cases, just to get a form rejection didn’t work for me. So I approached publishing independently, but the same lack of patience I had with querying disappeared. I knew I needed to put out a product that could rival the traditional industry, so I hired a professional designer for my covers, as well as multiple professional editors. Now that’s not to say I wouldn’t traditional publish, but they would have to approach me, I think. After all I’ve learned and the experience I’ve gained independently, I think I would be in a great position to traditionally publish, because I would put the same amount of work in I do now, only I’d also have others working on my behalf as well. That being said, I’m not convinced that I’d go that route even if I were approached, but it’s something I would seriously consider.

What’s surprised me the most is how we all find success and failures independently. What worked for me might not work for the next author, and vice versa. Each book has to travel its own path, and each book finds its audience in different ways. It’s not a matter of publishing and everyone promoting in the same manner. There is no one path or secret to success, it all varies depending on genre, the style in which it’s written, who the author is, etc.

2. Can you give us a teaser from The Protector series?

From a chapter in Exiled, Book 1:“My, can it be true? One day you’re putting knives to my throat and calling me a filthy demon, and the next you’re having sleepovers with an Underworlder?” - Rayna

And here’s the first few paragraphs of SHIFT, Book 2:My eyes tore open to the sound of screaming. The drywall rattled and Rayna’s voice raged through the wall. My pulse jumped as panic set in and I leapt from my bed moving straight for the door. I ran through the archway, pants tangling on my legs as I tried to pull them up. Marcus, Willy, and Tiki were halfway down the hall, their faces owned by fear. Marcus reached the door before me, turned the silver handle, and pushed through. The door creaked and the smell of blood, sweat, and something else seeped from the darkness. Marcus flicked on the light and I saw what I already feared.

I’ll save the spoilers from book 3, RELEASE, another day.

3. Have Chase describe Rayna, and have Rayna describe Chase.

“Rayna is…how do I say this…she’s not going to read this is she?” “Okay good, cause you know how she can get. Rayna’s a firecracker. She’s confident, she hits like a brick wall, and she doesn’t take crap from anyone - including me. She doesn’t take no for an answer; I think she might always get what she wants in the end - which isn’t always a good thing. But on the flip side, she’s loyal to a fault, and I know if a demon rushes my back, she’ll get it before it gets me. Rayna’s a soldier, but also, she’s a girl, even if she doesn’t show that side of herself very often. One thing I do know is I’ll let her watch my back over anyone else.”

“What’s Chase like? In three words; he’s an ass.”“ More? Okay, he’s an arrogant, hot-headed ass, who needs to be kept in line. That’s where I come in.”“Look, in all honesty, Chase is difficult in so many ways. He stands up for what he believes in, even it means he’s going to get hurt. He’s emotional, although he would deny that to the end, but everyone around him sees it. And he acts first and deals with the repercussion afterwards -which almost always gets us in trouble. What else can I say? He’s a seventeen-year-old boy. But, he’s also my friend and sometimes, when he’s not being a jerk, he’s not horrible to have around. Except for when me smiles and squint’s his eyes. He knows you want to give him whatever he wants and I hate that. That’s when I want to hit him the hardest.”

4. If you were sitting down to eat with Chase and Rayna, what would you eat and what would you all talk about?

Well, seeing as Chase’s diet is mostly made up of Pizza Pops and chocolate bars, and Rayna likes Pasta and cooking, maybe home-made pizza?As for a conversation piece, is there a guard at the door? You know, one who could confiscate weapons and such? Because I don’t think I’d agree to dinner without that…and maybe a fire-proof jacket or something… I think Chase would probably curse me out for everything I’ve done to him and Rayna wouldn’t be far behind. If we could all get past that initial awkward moment where they’d be looking at me like “I know who you are and everything you’ve done, and I’ll get you for it,” then I think we’d have a nice little chat - probably about what a jerk Vincent is. The night would come to an end with another awkward moment of Chase telling me I’d better be nice in the last book or he’ll be back.

5. What part did you play in the process of developing your covers? What did you hope to achieve with them?

Short of physically doing the work, I did the rest. I found the cover artist I wanted through a referral from a friend. I gave her two designs to work with, stating what I was looking for from each one, and she made them. I had a really hard time deciding between the two, because they were both so different, but something about the tree, with the fire and water on both sides, just spoke to me. There was a type of power in that image that represented the story, and she brought it to life in an incredible manner.The rest of the covers were the same. I described the design and what I wanted to see, and she’s made it happen better than even I imagined. It’s a nice setup.

6. if you were to wake up tomorrow & Demons (or Half Demons) have taken over the world what would be the first thing you'd do, and what would you do to assure the survival for you and you loved ones?

Put on my most durable pair of cargos, find the biggest blade I could, and either be really brave and enter the new world, or make sure all the doors and windows were locked. There is a slight chance I’d try to friendly with them and see if they could turn me into some all powerful creature…maybe…

Exiled The Protector, book #1

Chase Williams is a
demon hunter in the Circle, or at least he was supposed to be. On his
fifteenth birthday, Chase stepped up to the altar to claim his elemental
power, but it never came. Elemental magic is passed down to a hunter
through the bloodline, but on Chase's birthday, the bloodline stopped.
Exiled without the Circle's protection, Chase has spent two
years trying to survive a world riddled with half-demons and magic. When
he has a run in with a frightened and seemingly innocent demon, he
learns the Circle's agenda has changed: the Circle plans to unlock a
portal and unleash pure-blood demons into the world. Vowing to stop
them, and knowing he can't do it alone, Chase forms a reluctant alliance
with Rayna — a sexy witch with an attitude and a secret. In
their attempt to stop them, Chase and Rayna find themselves in the
middle of the Circle's plan, leaving one of them to decide what their
friendship is worth, and the other's life depending on it.

Shift

The Protector, book #2

Devastated by a
terrible loss, Chase is trying to balance the life he’s been left with, a
family he’s still getting to know, and power he never thought he’d
have. He doesn’t understand why the Goddess has named him the Protector
and granted him two gifts: the Mark, a tattoo that now covers his back,
and the ring. But between getting interrogated by the Circle and psychic
attacks from Riley, the Mark is the least of his concern. There’s a
demon inside Rayna that’s fighting to be released, and it’s not her
inner witch. It’s something else—a monster threatening to tear her
apart.

As Chase struggles to control his magic, his enemies are
closing in. Everyone has staked a claim on his ring, and destroying it
may be his only chance to stop Riley. But Chase must decide if stopping
him is worth risking the lives of everyone he cares about, or if
protecting the ring will be enough to save his world.

29 August 2012

It's day two in our celebrating
Indie/Small Press author, Angeline Kace. Her upcoming release - ENEMY WITHIN - will be releasing soon!Today we have invited Brooke and Mirko to stop by and chat.

Character Interview:

This question is for Brooke. Other than the obvious changes in your life, what are some changes you’re going through that we might not know about?

My sense of belonging has really been shaken. I’m now a part of two worlds, but don’t really belong or fit into either one of them. I feel like I’m in limbo, balancing on the cusp of both worlds. I wish I could just stay in one, but at the same time a part of me is excited to see what I can do in the other. It’s also terrifying because the same part of me that’s excited could also get me killed.

Mirko, how have you changed since Brooke entered your life?

*Looks at Brooke and grins* Brooke’s situation is chaotic, but I’ve never felt as grounded before as I do since meeting her. And I think that’s allowed me to be more patient, more understanding and compassionate. She makes me a better person.

Brooke and Mirko, here’s a question for both of you.What’s the best thing that happened to each of you yesterday?

Mirko chuckles. “When Brooke didn’t have the blender’s lid attached right and her strawberry-banana smoothie sprayed all over her. “What?! I can’t believe that was your best thing.” Brooke says incredulously and then looks back at Jessica. “That was probably the worst part of my day.”“No,” adds Mirko and drops his voice, “I’m talking about the part when I licked it off your chin, then trailed my tongue down your neck to catch the rest.” His lip lifts in the corner as if he’s watching it play all over again in his mind.“Oh.” Brooke giggles. “Yeah, that part was probably my favorite, too.”

Mirko, can you give us your sexiest pick up line?

I don’t have pick up lines. I’m confident enough that they’re not necessary. Pick up lines indicate that I’d have to plan something generic in advance to say to attract a woman. And it’s not so much the words I say, but my swagger while saying them. It’s the energy transferred, the heat you put off while introducing yourself that matters the most. Brooke and Mirko, can you share with us a fun fact about each other?

Mirko is the thumb war champion. He’s a machine. It’s almost like he’s double jointed or something and can move his thumb in ways and at angles that none of us can beat. It’s crazy.

Brooke’s not afraid of spiders. She doesn’t cringe when she sees one, nor does she hesitate when killing one. Most girls have this irrational fear of them, almost as if they’re afraid because every other girl’s afraid. I actually think it’s cute that Brooke’s not one of those girls.

Brooke, when you look at Mirko, who do you see?

I see a guy who used to annoy me and drive me crazy. He was too forward, sometimes too crass, and right all the time. Drove me insane. But now…I see a man who’s more genuine than anyone I’ve ever known. I see a leader who always fights for what’s right, and a friend who’s always willing to listen. I aspire to me more like him. When I look at Mirko… I see my hero. And Mirko, when you look at Brooke, who do you see?

She’s the embodiment of everything I could ask for and more.

Enemy Within

Coming soon!

Two guys who’ve stolen her heart.Three races and only one of them worthy.Countless enemies with insatiable bloodlust for power.Will one girl's curse ultimately save her?

Half-vampire
Brooke Keller barely survived the slaying of her worst enemy, only to
learn that Zladislov—the world's most powerful vampire, leader of the
vampire world, and her father—wants her dead. However, this time, she's
not only fighting vampires but a raging monster within her that
endangers what's left of her humanity. And when a deadly disease
threatens to take her best friend's life, Brooke tries to convince
Kaitlynn to accept a monster of her own: becoming a Zao Duh.

As a
former slave to the Pijawikas, Mirko is driven to protect the innocent
at all costs, but he has never faced a foe more formidable than
Zladislov. And when the Commission bears down on Brooke, Mirko finds the
stream of enemies runs deeper than he ever imagined.

Synopsis: Chronicling the rise of the Keepers, this is the stunning prequel to Andrea Cremer's internationally bestselling Nightshade trilogy!

Sixteen-year-old Ember Morrow is promised to a group called Conatus after one of their healers saves her mother's life. Once she arrives, Ember finds joy in wielding swords, learning magic, and fighting the encroaching darkness loose in the world. She also finds herself falling in love with her mentor, the dashing, brooding, and powerful Barrow Hess. When the knights realize Eira, one of their leaders, is dabbling in dark magic, Ember and Barrow must choose whether to follow Eira into the nether realm or to pledge their lives to destroying her and her kind.

Review: 5 Stars - Rift by Andrea Cremer is a prequel to her Nightshade
series and tells how Keepers originated. In a world filled with magic, good and
bad, it’s a thrillingly adventurous story rich in history set back in a time
when fathers married off their daughters to men & nobles from faraway
places in the hopes of gaining them land and wealth. Our female protagonist
Ember is different and wants something more for her life than being married
off.

With a debt called in to her parents to claim Ember for a
promise made long ago, she’s thrilled for the chance to leave and be on her way
- far away from her father and maybe get a chance to fulfill what she wants for
herself. She’s strong, loyal and fights hard for what she believes in. She
questions things as they come along and works through them to the best of her
abilities. While reading I had a chance to watch her grow. Ember had a lot to
learn in a short amount of time, all the while dealing with the many changes
that she was now facing in the world. All that she thought she knew has changed
in the blink of an eye.

And then we have Barrow… oh, Barrow he’s such strength in
the story. Strong and loyal as Ember is and a good support he takes fighting
for what he believes in to a whole new level. He took Ember under his wing and
taught her so much about the new world she was now living in and fighting for.

In my eyes Barrow
and Ember fit together really well and complemented each other time and time
again. I enjoyed the interaction between these two and looked forward to their
moments together.

Overall Rift was a book that I just couldn’t put down. I
was riveted to the world that was rich in lore and characters that I couldn’t
get enough of. The writing was just the right pace and I often couldn’t turn
the pages fast enough! This is one of the best books I’ve read this year I am
beyond excited and eager to read the next book in the prequel to Cremers’
previous trilogy.

Don't forget to check out the giveaway to enter to win a SIGNED copy of RIFT!

Synopsis: Chronicling the rise of the Keepers, this is the stunning prequel to Andrea Cremer's internationally bestselling Nightshade trilogy!

Sixteen-year-old Ember Morrow is promised to a group called Conatus after one of their healers saves her mother's life. Once she arrives, Ember finds joy in wielding swords, learning magic, and fighting the encroaching darkness loose in the world. She also finds herself falling in love with her mentor, the dashing, brooding, and powerful Barrow Hess. When the knights realize Eira, one of their leaders, is dabbling in dark magic, Ember and Barrow must choose whether to follow Eira into the nether realm or to pledge their lives to destroying her and her kind.

With action, adventure, magic, and tantalizing sensuality, this book is as fast-paced and breathtaking as the Nightshade novels.

ONE lucky winner will receive aSIGNED COPY OF RIFT!

Rules and how to enter:

Please fill out the form below. No entries in comments will count in this giveaway.
You must be at least 13 years old to enter.
This giveaway is open to US Residents only. Sorry!Giveaway ends: September 14th, 2012

"Waiting On" Wednesday is an event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. The purpose of this weekly event is to spotlight a soon-to-be-released book that you are very much anticipating. "Waiting On" Wednesday will also give bloggers an opportunity to share ideas for our TBR lists.

The world is dead.
The survivors live under the protection of Breathe, the corporation that found a way to manufacture oxygen-rich air.

ALINA
has been stealing for a long time. She’s a little jittery, but not terrified. All she knows is that she’s never been caught before. If she’s careful, it’ll be easy. If she’s careful.

QUINN
should be worried about Alina and a bit afraid for himself, too, but even though this is dangerous, it’s also the most interesting thing to happen to him in ages. It isn’t every day that the girl of your dreams asks you to rescue her.

BEA
wants to tell him that none of this is fair; they’d planned a trip together, the two of them, and she’d hoped he’d discover her out here, not another girl.

And as they walk into the Outlands with two days’ worth of oxygen in their tanks, everything they believe will be shattered. Will they be able to make it back? Will they want to?

Synopsis: At a camp filled with vampires, werewolves, and fairies, Kylie Galen has always struggled to figure out what she is. Now she finally knows the truth—but she's left with more questions than answers. She doesn’t have a clue what her heritage means or how to harness her newfound powers. All she knows is that she needs to sort out her feelings for Derek, the sexy half-Fae who just confessed his love, and Lucas, her werewolf boyfriend who seems more committed to his pack than to their relationship. All the while, Kylie's dealing with a group of underground rogues who want her dead and a mysterious grandfather who makes it clear he doesn’t trust the FRU . . . or Shadow Falls. Soon Kylie will have to choose: Will she stay with the new family she’s formed at Shadow Falls, or will she leave with her grandfather and embrace her destiny?

Breathe sounds amazing and thankfully I have a copy to read here and will be picking it up soon. And then I love the Shadow Falls series so Whispers at Moonrise is one that I'm highly anticipating. Love both covers and am excited for these two. What are the books you are "Waiting" for today?

*covers are always subject to change.*I am not compensated at all for any of the links within this post.

28 August 2012

Synopsis: Mia is torn between two guys—and two worlds—in this epic, romantic fantasy.Mysterious lights have flickered above Crownsville for as long as Mia can remember. And as far as she’s concerned, that’s about the only interesting thing to happen in her small town.

That is, until Sol arrives. Mia’s not one to fall for just any guy, but she can’t get Sol—or the brilliant tattoo on his back—out of her mind.

Then Mia’s brother goes missing, and Mia’s convinced that Sol knows more than he’s sharing. But getting closer to Sol means reevaluating everything Mia once believed to be true. Because Sol’s not who Mia thought he was—and neither is she.

Review: 5 Stars -Debut author Sara Walsh has a huge hit on her hands with her wonderfully written title The Dark Light. I was utterly immersed within her world and characters from the first page and I am already begging for more after reading the last word on the last page.

With a cover like The Dark Light, there was no way that I was about to pass up this title and after reading the synopsis, I just knew it was a must read for 2012. This book, these characters, this story! It has so much to offer the reader. So many layers to the story & at times I just couldn't read fast enough & at times I wanted to read slower because I didn't want the story to end. Thrilling, mysterious, swoon-worthy are just a few words that come to mind about title and this fantastic new author.

Mia lives in a town where people have been known to see strange lights. She’s living with an uncle she never knew after her parents left. She goes out of her way to protect and raise her younger brother while their uncle is often absent for one reason or another. She has a great friend – Willie – who has some of the best lines in the book and often steals the show. Yet, I often felt that’s just what Mia needed to help take her mind off of things once the younger kids of the town and towns around them start to vanish.

One thing that I liked about Mia was that she has a fantastic voice. She’s strong and is smart. A product of having to grow up to soon, which is sad, yet proves most helpful throughout the story. She’s loyal almost to a fault, yet it’s one of things I love about her the most.

When the new guy enters the picture – when Mia thinks all she has left to worry about is keeping her brother safe and getting a dress for the Prom she has no idea that her world and all she knew was about to be turned upside down and backwards.

Sol is so mysterious and while at the end of the story I had such a better idea of who he was, it’s throughout reading that you never know what he’s going to say or do next. I loved that Walsh kept me on my toes and I had more than one time while reading that I was shocked and bowled over with what happened.

The twists and turns are there, the amazing characters are there… the fantastic story, action, adventure and romance, along with the characters that I fell in love with which hands down did NOT fall short or disappoint me in the slightest. It’s easy to say that The Dark Light was one of the best books I’ve been lucky enough to read in 2012 and there is no doubt in my mind that I’ll read anything Walsh writes in the future. I highly recommend this title to anyone who loves a great story that’ll keep you gripped to the seat of your chair and that you won’t want to put down. The book just so happens to come out today, so go grab yourself a copy and hold on.

Be sure to check back on September 3rd, 2012 for another post for The Dark Light Tour!

27 August 2012

Hey guys! It's been a fantastic month so far. I know Jessica (Confessions of a Bookaholic)
and I have had a blast this month highlight some of our favorite indie/small-press authors. This week we have Angeline Kace on. She is the author of the Vampire Born series.

Descended by Blood

Currently Available

Brooke Keller is a high
school junior who has never spent much time living in one place. She is
finally in a town long enough to almost snag the boy of her dreams,
until her life is threatened after killing a fanged man in his attempt
to kidnap her. Brooke begins a dangerous journey in an effort to find
out who is after her and how to stop them. In a world with powerful and
prejudiced vampires, Brooke must tap into the side of her that she never
knew existed at the risk of losing her life in order to save it.

Enemy Within

Coming soon!

Two guys who’ve stolen her heart.Three races and only one of them worthy.Countless enemies with insatiable bloodlust for power.Will one girl's curse ultimately save her?

Half-vampire
Brooke Keller barely survived the slaying of her worst enemy, only to
learn that Zladislov—the world's most powerful vampire, leader of the
vampire world, and her father—wants her dead. However, this time, she's
not only fighting vampires but a raging monster within her that
endangers what's left of her humanity. And when a deadly disease
threatens to take her best friend's life, Brooke tries to convince
Kaitlynn to accept a monster of her own: becoming a Zao Duh.

As a
former slave to the Pijawikas, Mirko is driven to protect the innocent
at all costs, but he has never faced a foe more formidable than
Zladislov. And when the Commission bears down on Brooke, Mirko finds the
stream of enemies runs deeper than he ever imagined.

Interview:

I know I’ve been sitting on pins and needles waiting for the second book in the Vampire Born series – Enemy Within. To help hold me over… just a tiny bit, can you give us a nice juicy teaser?

I licked my lips and savored the sweet, tart liquid. It zapped my tongue like the charge you’d get if you touched it to a battery full of juice. It excited me as the jolt jumped through my cells, shooting from one to the next, spurring little electrical shockwaves as it flowed down the back of my throat, then electrified my chest, and crackled into my gut.I opened my eyes and found Mirko lying beneath me and covered in . . . blood.

Can you tell us what was harder and easier for you throughout writing the first and the second book in the series?

Enemy Within has been so much more difficult for me to write than Descended by Blood was. There’s a lot of reasons that go into this, but it’s been really hard for me to shut out the voices in my head of what people expect of the next book, what they liked or didn’t like in Descended by Blood, etc.

And I really wanted to write Enemy Within from both Brooke and Mirko’s point of views, but traditionally, once you start telling a story from a character’s point of view, you’d stick with that, and the story started being told from only Brooke’s point of view. Mirko’s voice was strong enough and demanding enough in my head that I finally gave in to him, and I am SO glad I did. I think the readers will be happy I did, too.

Which character do you find yourself thinking about the most?

Well, Mirko speaks the loudest, but I’m not sure that counts as the most. Lol I do think about him a lot, though. And Brooke and what she is going through and how she should respond to certain things. I think about Jaren a lot, too. True to his Scorpio nature, he doesn’t say much, but he has a LOT of stuff going on underneath the surface, and sometimes it’s somewhat challenging for even me to get deep down and find out what’s going on with him and convey that on the page.

If you could tell people anything about being an Indie author, what would it be?

Oh, gosh. That’s a tough one. There’s a lot I’d tell people about being an author, but it generally applies to all authors. I guess indie-specific would be that it’s a lot harder than it looks. You’re the one responsible for everything, and although that is rewarding most of the time, it can also be overwhelming and challenging.

I think the area most indie authors struggle with is editing. They can’t do it themselves, and then they have a hard time finding someone who can do it—properly. Amazon opening up the flood gates to allow anybody to upload a book wasn’t only a pseudo-gold rush for authors. It also was for cover designers, formatters, and editors. And what I see a lot of is that indies are hiring editors and they think the editing side is taken care of. But in reality, just because you pay someone to go over your manuscript doesn’t mean they know what they’re doing, nor does it make them qualified.

Finding a proper editor is like finding an elusive ghost in the clouds. Authors hire out because they can’t do it themselves. They don’t know what’s wrong or how to fix it. They’re not technically trained like a proper editor is. So when they go looking for an editor, they have the same challenge. They don’t know what makes a good editor. It’s not like looking at a cover and being able to tell if it’s pretty or not. It’s technical in a different way.

What’s been one of the most important things for you in telling your characters story?

To keep things real. Although the book is written around a mythical species, I want there to be enough honesty and truth in the way that the characters deal with things that it remains believable.

Well, what a fun & exciting week this has been. Thank you for checking out this week's Blogger Talk: Novel Exposed.
We might be ending another week, but we still have another one amazing
& fun filled week ahead! We thought it's about time for another
giveaway. What do you guys think? Yeah, we knew you'd like that idea.

Jessica (Confessions of a Bookaholic) and I really love the Soul Savers series
and we hope others do too. Kristie recently made the BOX SET (ebooks) available. The set includes Promise, Purpose, Devotion, and the Genesis novella.

GIVEAWAY!

Enter to win a SOUL SAVERS Box Set (ebooks)

Here's the rules and how to enter.

You MUST be at least 17 years old to enter.If you'd like to enter, please fill out the form below. No entries in comments will count.This giveaway is open Internationally!Giveaway ends: September 8th, 2012

PLEASE NOTE: This form is the SAME form on this blog and Confessions of a Bookaholic. Please follow the instructions and enter accordingly.

24 August 2012

I am really excited about this incredible tour - Authors Are Rock Stars - hosted by three amazing ladies, What a fantastic idea! I had an amazing time with the event from the first day, right on throughout the whole month and I'm thrilled to bring you an author that for me, is hands down a Rock Star - DAN WELLS! He is the amazing author behind the Partials Trilogy. The first book, Partials was one of the best books I've read so far this year. Dan, it's always a pleasure having you on my blog, thank you for taking the time out to answer these questions. I can't wait to see what happens next with Isolation & Fragments. To those who haven't read Partials, you have NO idea what you're missing!!

Interview:

Currently Available from Balzer + Bray

For me, the world you’ve created is really vivid. It’s not often that I can picture with such detail the landscape and characters in a book. Can you tell us a bit about the world building and its process for you while working on this PARTIALS trilogy?

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. The setting was one of my favorite parts of the book, and I did a lot of research to make sure I got it right. One of the little details that TONS of post-apocalypse stories get wrong is Manhattan's subway system--it seems like such a great place to have a chase scene or a fight scene or a really scary, tense kind of cat and mouse game, and I initially wrote that exact thing, but it turns out that Manhattan's water table makes that sort of thing impossible. Without constant maintenance the subway system would flood, top to bottom, pretty much in the first couple of days, and certainly after the first rainstorm. I was very sad to lose the scene, but I'm glad I took the time to research it. (Besides, the truth suggests so many more possibilities for the future....)

Some aspects of the story were hard for me to read. Yet, I understood the power behind the government and what its ultimate goal is – survival of the human race. Without you or I giving too much away, was this something you knew would always be part of the story? And have you had any fallout from the sensitive subject matter?

The day authors aren't allowed to include sensitive subject matter in their books is the day I move into the forest and join the Voice. Books have always been a source of truth and controversy and unpopular opinions, and I see no reason to pull any punches in my writing. what I tried to do, and what I always try to do, is to show both sides of the story. There are few, if any, outright "villains" in Partials, just people with very different ideas on how to save the world. The Voice and the Senate both have humanity's best interests at heart, and sometimes one's "right" and sometimes the other is.

Available from Balzer + Bray, Feb. 26th, 2013

Speaking of difficult things… what was the hardest part in writing PARTIALS?

The hardest part of writing Partials was that same thing, actually--making sure the bad guys weren't bad, just "incorrectly good," so to speak. My editor and I had a phrase we shot back and forth constantly: no mustache-twirling. Every character, every motivation, had to make sense and come from some kind of "good" root, even if it got twisted by emotion or circumstance on the way to completion. This rule helped make some of the Senators into much more interesting characters, especially Delarosa, and we get to see a lot more of her in FRAGMENTS.

Kira and Samm are two such strong characters within the story. Our main protagonist Kira is one smart cookie! I was really impressed with her and I loved her voice. You did an incredible job making her an actual teen, even with all the science. And then Samm, he was so mysterious and yet I loved the bits and pieces we learned about him as well. Can you choose 5 words to describe each character?

The scientific aspects of the story were highly entertaining to me as a reader. I looked forward to following along as Kira worked through her thoughts. Can you tell us a bit about how you developed the scientific side of the story?

The science all came first--I knew what kind of story I wanted, and some of the basic elements, and built RM as the foundation that would support the entire thing. The things Kira learns in the various labs throughout the story will continue to play a massive role in FRAGMENTS and all the way through Book 3. The science itself came from lots and lots of research, which was fun because science is a big hobby of mine anyway. I love to read about it and learn about it, and I hope PARTIALS inspires at least a few people to feel the same.

With the recent release of the cover for FRAGMENTS, which by the way is amazing, did you have any input in the covers? And how to you think that they fit in with the trilogy?

My input into the covers stops and ends with the emails they send me to show what they look like--their covers are their covers, whether I like them or not. Luckily, so far I've loved all of my Harper covers, so hooray. I'm not sure how the third cover will look, but the pattern seems clear: first we have one person looking at a bunch of buildings, then two people looking at one building, so the last one ought to be three people looking at no buildings, right? I'll go ahead and shoehorn that into the outline...:)

Available from Balzer + Bray Aug. 28th, 2012

Congratulations on the up and coming release of the PARTIALS short – ISOLATION on August 28th! I’m all about the back story and can’t wait to understand more of what happened in the past within your trilogy to make the world what it is today. Will we get a chance to learn any major key points to things that happened in PARTIALS, or things that’ll make sense later on in the trilogy?

One of the things I love about science fiction is the process of change--PARTIALS presents a neat future, but I really wanted to show the steps of how that future came to be. ISOLATION is, essentially, one of those steps. The story follows Heron, a side character from PARTIALS who gets much more screen time in FRAGMENTS, as we get to see through her how the Partials were created, trained, and used by the humans. It's a small story, really, just a few days in the life of a soldier, but it's one of my favorite pieces of the entire PARTIALS universe.

February 26th, 2013 the release date for FRAGMENTS is a long way away until I finally get to see what happens next, would you happen to have maybe a little teaser you could share with me us?

FRAGMENTS will show you:

Exactly who set the bomb in the beginning of PARTIALS...and it's not who you think.
A few more famous cities, and how they fared after the end of the world.
A full-blown Partial vs. Partial warzone.
Another plan to save humanity, probably the simplest and most horrifying one yet.
Many, many new insights about Nandita and the Trust, though whether any of them are true or not I can't say:)

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